


a walk in the mountains

by Kaatyr



Series: The Sorcerer's Receptionist AU [1]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Audio Format: MP3, M/M, One Shot, Podfic Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:56:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28492008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaatyr/pseuds/Kaatyr
Summary: Whenever Leorio visited the Hunter Guild, he always made a beeline for the newest (and, in his expert opinion, prettiest) receptionist there. Leorio would even wait in line if he had to, smiling and waving off the offers of the other receptionists who were momentarily free. They would return his smile knowingly, then turn those smiles onto the object of Leorio’s admiration.It was a pity that the pretty receptionist’s manner wasn’t as endearing as his appearance.Inspired by 'The Sorcerer's Receptionist' light novel.
Relationships: Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Series: The Sorcerer's Receptionist AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2091129
Kudos: 54





	a walk in the mountains

**Author's Note:**

> This story is available in audio form for those who would prefer to listen rather than read. Please note that this is a text to speech recording, which means that there may be some issues with it.
> 
> [Stream or download MP3 from Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HysR0fJyxmZVPWlPxV0YAYFwMgQruigp/view?usp=sharing)

Whenever Leorio visited the Hunter Guild, he always made a beeline for the newest (and, in his expert opinion, prettiest) receptionist there. Leorio would even wait in line if he had to, smiling and waving off the offers of the other receptionists who were momentarily free. They would return his smile knowingly, then turn those smiles onto the object of Leorio’s admiration.

It was a pity that the pretty receptionist’s manner wasn’t as endearing as his appearance.

“Not you again.”

Kurapika shuffled through his papers with a resigned sigh.

“Morning, Sunshine,” Leorio greeted him with a grin. “Got a job for me?”

“Sure.” Kurapika lifted a piece of paper with one hand, holding it up so that Leorio could see it. “How about cleaning Qamid weed out of a paddock?”

Leorio winced, noting the C rank displayed prominently on the page Kurapika was offering. From nearby, another receptionist snickered.

Qamid weed wasn’t dangerous, but it was a serious hazard for farmers since no crops would grow in the infested area. It was known for being notoriously difficult to remove. Often, the entire area had to be burned out by a fire mage—of which Leorio was not, a fact that the bored-looking Kurapika (who had one hand propping his chin up, with his elbow on the desk as he waited for Leorio’s reply) knew full well. Leorio was a water mage and specialised in healing. The jobs he sought usually involved treating ailments and injuries, either natural or magical.

And he was an A rank, damnit, another fact that Kurapika knew damn well.

After making it into a prestigious boarding school, Leorio had earned his accreditation as a doctor through hard work, not family connections or money. He was justifiably proud of his achievements. Since his graduation, he had been steadily working himself up through the guild ranks.

“No?” Kurapika inquired flatly after a moment of silence passed.

“No,” Leorio confirmed. “The pay’s shit, Sunshine.”

“Broke, are we?” said Kurapika unsympathetically. He returned to shuffling through his papers while Leorio waited, knowing that eventually Kurapika would come up with the goods once he was done being an asshole. The Hunter Guild had high standards for its receptionists and Kurapika unquestionably met those standards—in every area but personality.

Leorio turned down a pet-sitting request (swearing that he was allergic to ferret-hounds, a fact Kurapika absorbed with a skeptically raised eyebrow) and a dragon-hunting job (S rank, and not suited for Leorio at all, Kurapika was just rubbing it in that he was only A rank with that one).

Throughout the exchange, Kurapika’s colleagues watched and listened with half their attention as they served their own sorcerers, their expressions slowly morphing from amused to sympathetic as Leorio refused the papers Kurapika presented to him with that charming, falsely-accommodating smile.

Finally, Kurapika slid a sheet out from a stack and turned it around so Leorio could read it. Kurapika tapped the page with one slender finger. A golden ring glittered in the light. Leorio wondered if the ring had magical properties. His particular magical abilities didn’t allow him the means of finding out, and he doubted that Kurapika would tell him the truth if he asked.

Leorio noticed the A rank on the job request immediately with relief.

“School children have come down with a mysterious ailment after a field trip into a nearby forest,” Kurapika intoned. “Could be tricky, since no one seems to know what caused the illness.”

Leorio frowned. “Are they asking just for the children to be healed, or do they want to know what caused the illness as well?” he questioned. “What if whatever caused the illness is a demon?”

As much as it galled him to admit it, Leorio wasn’t up to the task of taking on a demon, especially one whose capabilities were a mystery. He felt that he could put up a good fight if pushed, but preferred to leave the serious fighting to the knights and sorcerers better suited for it.

“There are no demons in that area. The culprit is far more likely to be some sort of plant.” Kurapika’s bored pose had evaporated like morning mist. His posture was straight and his expression serious, indicating to Leorio that Kurapika was no longer messing around with him.

“How do you know that?” Leorio inquired curiously. “Have you already had someone check the area out?”

“ _I_ checked it out,” Kurapika said, somewhat defensively, his grey eyes flat and hostile, as if daring Leorio to contradict him.

Leorio’s eyes widened as he stared down at the short, delicate-looking receptionist in his crisp black suit. With his soft blond hair, flawless skin and slender, uncalloused hands, Kurapika didn’t look like the sort of person who ought to be scouting in areas where demons possibly resided. He looked more like he ought to be working as some disgustingly rich noble’s accountant or representative.

“Really?” Leorio asked doubtfully.

“Do you think that this is all my job entails?” Kurapika sneered, waving his hand over the papers scattered on his desk. “No. Receptionists are the ones that rank the job requests, you know. We have to know how dangerous each request is to ensure that no sorcerers get in over their heads with a job they aren’t qualified for.”

“Wow.” Leorio rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, straightening to his full and considerable height as he did so. “I never thought about that,” he added with a grin. “I guess that’s why even the receptionists here are magic-users.”

The knowledge that there was more to Kurapika than he presented to Leorio in the guild hall intrigued Leorio. How strong was Kurapika’s magic? What was his element? Had he ever come face-to-face with a demon before? Why had he chosen the route of becoming a guild receptionist rather than a sorcerer like Leorio?

“Yes.” Kurapika’s tone was clipped as he tapped the page again, just once. “The parents of the affected children put the job reward together. There’s a separate job request from the village council in regard to the cause of the illness, so that won’t be your concern. The A rank is due to the unknown nature of the ailment.”

“Ah,” Leorio said in understanding. “I’ll take it, then. Thanks, Sunshine.”

He did his best to ignore the relieved sigh Kurapika let out as he turned away. As Leorio was walking off, he heard one of the other receptionists say to Kurapika, “You could have just given him that job straight away…”

Kurapika made some sort of reply, but it was too low for Leorio to hear, as his long legs had already carried him halfway to the door. He whistled as he walked out, the paper containing the job details in his hand and his briefcase in the other.

* * *

By the time Leorio left the hospital where the affected school children had been taken, it was dusk. If he hurried, he could probably turn in the signed job paper before the Hunter Guild closed for the night, but Leorio was too exhausted. Treating twelve children with magic was really pushing his limit.

After getting a good night’s sleep—a little too good if his 11 o’clock rising time was any indication—Leorio donned his favourite dark blue suit, picked up his briefcase and headed into town to the Hunter Guild headquarters.

Leorio scanned the desks for a familiar blond head as he entered, but disappointment caused his shoulders to slump. Kurapika wasn’t there.

This wasn’t unprecedented. Kurapika’s work schedule was a little haphazard and Leorio hadn’t been able to quite pin it down yet.

“Doctor Paladiknight!”

One of the receptionists waved him over to her desk with a smile that seemed a touch too relieved. That piqued Leorio’s suspicions and he approached with a smile that had an edge of wariness.

“Melody, you look radiant today,” he said, using a line that he would never dare use on Kurapika.

Melody would usually brush off his compliment, but today her brow furrowed with anxiety. Melody was… to put it kindly, not pretty—and Leorio always tried to be kind about it.

Melody’s hair was a dull shade of grey and her stature was short, even shorter than Kurapika’s. Her build was pudgy and her buck teeth gave her speech a slight lisp. Rumour had it that Melody had once been beautiful, but had been cursed by some sort of magical object.

She and Kurapika were opposites in almost every way. The only thing they had in common was the competence they displayed in their work. Melody’s personality was honey to Kurapika’s vinegar. She was such a sweetheart that overlooking her appearance was easy.

“I’m glad you’re here, Doctor Paladiknight. We have a… situation,” Melody said quietly. “With one of our receptionists.”

“Did someone get hurt?” Leorio inquired, recalling the information regarding a receptionist’s duties that Kurapika had shared with him the previous day.

“Someone is unwell, and you may be the best person to help,” Melody said. “You took that job yesterday, correct? The one for the unwell school children?”

“Yeah.” Leorio put his briefcase on the desk and opened it. He took out the job page, signed with the signatures of each child’s parent, indicating that Leorio had completed the job to their satisfaction. The happy faces of the children and the relieved smiles of the parents had been a great reward, but Leorio was looking forward to getting paid in cash as well. You couldn’t live solely off other people’s happiness. A sorcerer had to eat, and food cost money.

“Thank you,” Melody said, taking the paper and tucking it into a folder. “I’ll be sure to file that.”

“So, you’ve got another job for me?” Leorio asked, after removing his briefcase from the surface of Melody’s desk. “A guild job?”

Jobs handed out directly by the Hunter Guild were rare. Leorio had never taken one before since the rank was usually S.

“Yes,” Melody said. “Normally we wouldn’t have to resort to hiring a sorcerer, but your experience and… well, the situation is a little unusual,” Melody finished awkwardly. She seemed embarrassed.

Leorio’s interest was aroused. “What’s the pay?” he asked.

“Poor, I’m afraid,” Melody said regretfully. “The equivalent of a C rank job.”

“That’s fine.” Leorio had asked more out of curiosity. If a receptionist was unwell, he was more than willing to help out for whatever reward was offered.

“I’m glad to hear it. Please come with me.”

Melody left her desk and Leorio followed her deeper into the guild building. After passing through a few halls and up a flight of stairs, they came to what Leorio guessed was the dormitory area, where many of the Hunter Guild employees lived. Melody led him past closed-door after closed-door until she stopped at one and turned the knob. Leorio followed her into a comfortable living space.

The room was large and homey, with broad windows covered by dark curtains. There was a kitchenette to Leorio’s right, a small wooden table with two chairs in front of him and to his left, the sleeping area. The area of the kitchenette was lit by lamps, but the sleeping area was dark.

Melody headed left and Leorio followed. She lit a mage's lamp that was sitting on the nightstand beside the bed, throwing the area into stark view. Leorio heard a groan, and the lump of blankets on the bed moved.

“Go away.”

The voice was muffled, but unmistakably Kurapika’s. Leorio’s heart jumped in his chest. Was Kurapika sick or hurt?

“Kurapika.” Melody tugged on the covers. Kurapika’s rumpled blond hair was revealed. “Doctor Paladiknight is here.”

“What?” Kurapika’s face peeked out from the covers, his cheeks pale. Leorio realised that he was shivering beneath the blankets. “But I said I—“

“Didn’t need a doctor,” Melody finished with a sigh. “Kurapika, if you think that you can beat this with stubbornness alone, you are wrong. Please let Doctor Paladiknight help you.”

“I don’t need a sorcerer’s help. I just need sleep,” Kurapika complained, burying his face in the covers again.

“This must’ve come on suddenly,” Leorio murmured to Melody. “He was fine yesterday morning.”

“Yes,” Melody agreed. “He went to bed feeling normal and woke up… like this. His skin feels as cold as ice and he barely has enough strength to stand.”

The symptoms sounded all too familiar to Leorio. They were very similar to those of the school children Leorio had treated yesterday. Those children had experienced extreme cold flushes which came on randomly. Their parents had also reported that their children were less energetic than usual. Leorio had confirmed that they were affected by some sort of magical ailment that was weakening them. He couldn’t say where it had come from, but getting rid of it hadn’t been too difficult.

The fact that Kurapika couldn’t get out of bed was concerning. None of the children had displayed weakness to that degree.

“Do you think this has to do with his excursion into the forest near Solva?” Leorio asked, naming the village he’d visited yesterday.

“We suspect so,” Melody said. “We have a preliminary report from the sorcerer sent to investigate the forest. He believes that a new form of plant is responsible for the illness. Certain areas of the forest are saturated with unknown spores. The area is currently under quarantine.”

“It took a long time to manifest in Kurapika,” Leorio observed. “The children displayed symptoms almost immediately. Why is Kurapika’s case different?”

Melody shrugged. “It could be because Kurapika is of the earth element,” she guessed. “His training may have given him a natural resistance to the spores.”

Kurapika’s nose poked out of the blanket again. “If you two are going to talk like I’m not here, then could you do it… somewhere where I’m _not_?” The nose disappeared again.

Melody smiled sympathetically at Leorio. “I’ll leave you to examine him,” she said. “I hope you have better luck than the previous sorcerers did.”

“Previous sorcerers?” Leorio inquired uneasily, but Melody was already leaving, shutting the door behind her after giving Leorio a little wave.

Leorio turned back to his unwilling patient, who showed no sign of wanting to leave the burrow of blankets he’d built for himself.

“Come on, Sunshine. This won’t take long,” Leorio wheedled.

A snort escaped the folds of heavy fabric.

* * *

An hour and a half later, Kurapika sat at his table, cradling a mug of tea that Leorio had made for him. His eyes drooped, but his condition had improved remarkably thanks to Leorio’s magic. The tea was a favourite of Leorio’s, intended to boost Kurapika’s energy level.

Kurapika was, without a shadow of a doubt, the most difficult patient Leorio had ever treated. He complained constantly about Leorio’s cold hands, never mind that Kurapika’s own skin could freeze raindrops. He’d complained that Leorio’s voice gave him a headache, which was blatantly a lie, as far as Leorio could tell. Then he’d complained that Leorio’s magic itched, a complaint that Leorio had never heard from any of his other patients before. Now Kurapika was grimacing as he sipped the tea.

“What’s wrong with it?” Leorio asked resignedly from his position across the table from Kurapika.

“It’s too sweet,” Kurapika responded. At Leorio’s glare, he raised one eyebrow as if to say, “You asked.” But he did lift the mug to take another sip, an act that reassured Leorio. The validity of Kurapika’s complaints really was up in the air with the birds.

“You’re looking better already,” Leorio told him. Kurapika had stopped shivering and stripped out of the set of pyjamas he’d been wearing in favour of a loose shirt and trousers much better suited to the spring weather. His hair was still mussed, though Leorio thought it looked charming. His eyes were foggy though, a fact which had Leorio a little concerned. He’d have to recommend that Kurapika stay off work for the rest of the day, maybe the next day as well.

“I would have recovered without your intervention anyway,” Kurapika said stiffly, warm mug still clutched between thin fingers.

“Yeah, probably,” Leorio agreed, causing Kurapika to stare suspiciously at him.

Leorio privately didn’t believe that Kurapika would have recovered quite so well without the intervention of a sorcerer, but the subject was clearly a sore one for Kurapika, and Leorio had no desire to get into an argument with him over it. Kurapika was still not at his best, even if he thought he was.

“Thanks, anyway,” Kurapika mumbled into the mug. Leorio barely caught the words, but he grinned openly when he realised what Kurapika had said.

“No problem, Sunshine.”

Kurapika raised his eyes to glare at Leorio. “I hate that nickname,” he snapped.

It was almost a reflexive reaction. Leorio was taken aback for a moment until he took stock of Kurapika’s posture. It was defensive, mug held to his chest and body tense in the chair. He looked like an animal confronted by a predator, an animal who had just realised that it was cornered.

Before Leorio could come up with a response, the door opened behind him and he heard Melody’s lyrical voice.

“Excuse me,” she said, before walking over to Kurapika. Though Kurapika was sitting down and Melody was standing, she barely reached his shoulder. She smiled sunnily at Kurapika.

“You look much better,” she said, the relief in her tone obvious and heartwarming.

“Yes. I could take the rest of the afternoon shift—“

“Uh, no,” Leorio interrupted. “You’re taking the rest of the day off, Su—Kurapika. Doctor’s orders.”

Kurapika’s expression darkened, eyes turning into ominous storm clouds, but Melody promptly agreed with Leorio, and that took the wind right out of Kurapika’s sails. He scowled down into the mug as Melody said, “Yes, that’s an excellent idea. Besides, Neon has already volunteered to take the last few hours of your afternoon shift and she’s very excited about it.”

“The Nostrade girl?” Kurapika demanded. “But she’s too inexperienced.”

“You know there’s only one way to get that experience, Kurapika,” Melody chided gently. “And I’ll be helping her, so everything will be fine. This will be a good opportunity for us to find out if she’ll be suited for the job of a receptionist.”

“Doubtful,” Kurapika grumbled.

Leorio politely stayed out of the guild politics. He was content with the knowledge that he had an ally in Melody. Kurapika was undoubtably in good hands.

Since Melody’s lecture seemed to be over, Leorio announced, “I’ll come back tomorrow morning to check on you, Kurapika, if that’s okay. Depending on how you’re doing, you might be able to go back to work tomorrow.”

Kurapika’s eyes hardened again. “What makes you think that you are the authority on whether or not I am fit to work?” he demanded.

“Kurapika.”

Melody’s interjection caused Kurapika to look down, silenced. Melody turned to Leorio.

“Thank you, Doctor Paladiknight,” she said. “We’ll arrange your payment through the usual procedure.”

“Thanks,” Leorio said. “Rest up, Kurapika, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Kurapika nodded glumly. Leorio took his leave, making his way back through the halls to the main guild hall. After assuring the curious receptionists that Kurapika was doing fine, Leorio decided to head home rather than pick up another job. Kurapika wasn’t the only one who needed some rest.

* * *

After dismissing Melody for her afternoon shift, Kurapika returned to bed. He stripped off his shirt and curled up.

Though he was grateful for Doctor Paladiknight’s help and healing, the experience left him rattled. Admitting such was uncomfortable, but there were times when Kurapika could barely stand the sight of a sorcerer using their magic. Which was tragic, since he was a sorcerer himself.

In contrast to his body’s earlier chill, Kurapika’s mind was full of heat. A burning, flickering orange heat that licked at his sanity. Now that he was alone, there was nothing to distract him from the bad memories.

Fire, stealing away his childhood home and his most treasured loved ones. Fire, scorching away every trace of them.

And the culprits? Not demons. No, the culprits were sorcerers. Selfish sorcerers who coveted the riches of his village and killed to get them. Kurapika had no idea who those sorcerers were, as he’d been away from the village at the time, but he was certainly going to find out. For the last few years, he’d kept his eyes peeled for any sign of Kurta jewels being sold. Through them, he hoped to track down the criminals.

The ruby earrings Kurapika wore were all that he had left of his family and home. The stones were incredibly precious, having been unique to the area of Kurta.

Tears pricked at Kurapika’s eyes as he remembered how kind Doctor Paladiknight had been. He’d weathered Kurapika’s complaints with barely a twitch, only occasionally calling him out on his unreasonable behaviour. Even his call-outs had been gentle and joking, as if Kurapika’s complaints really barely scratched the surface of his composure.

Damn that man. No matter what Kurapika said to put him off, Doctor Paladiknight continued to harass him with that irrepressible charm. And what was worse was that Kurapika’s colleagues seemed to find the whole thing hilarious. Some of them had even started to call him Sunshine, which infuriated Kurapika. With Doctor Paladiknight, the nickname came off as sort of endearing, but with Kurapika’s colleagues, it came off as if they were making fun of him. They were entirely oblivious to Kurapika’s turmoil—not that Kurapika could blame them; he hadn’t told them of his history, after all.

Kurapika didn’t believe that Doctor Paladiknight had been involved in the Kurta massacre—the doctor was too young—but he was a sorcerer, and Kurapika wanted to avoid sorcerers as much as possible. He did his best to maintain a business-like manner with those that came to the Hunter Guild seeking work, and he thought he’d been doing well—until Doctor Paladiknight had walked in with his briefcase and an excited gleam in his eye, until Doctor Paladiknight had caught his eyes and smiled so innocently at him, until Kurapika’s heart had given a little stutter in his chest, and that didn’t feel bad at all, but it terrified Kurapika.

Though Kurapika was exhausted, sleep refused to claim him, leaving him tossing and turning on his covers, caught halfway between incoherent, indistinct nightmares and his lonely, dark dormitory room.

* * *

It was three days later when Leorio received another job request directly from the Hunter Guild. He found himself standing in front of a very disgruntled Kurapika, whose arms were crossed over his blue tabard. The outfit he wore was new to Leorio. Kurapika usually wore a snappy black suit in the guild hall. The gold-trimmed tabard, comfortable shoes and white trousers were a refreshing sight. Kurapika looked much more approachable in them—well, he would have looked approachable if he weren’t wearing that scowl, anyway.

Thankfully for Leorio, it was currently directed not at him, but at Melody, who was standing beside Leorio and smiling in a pained way.

“I work alone,” Kurapika said to Melody.

“Not today,” Melody insisted. “Considering what happened on your last scouting mission—“

“Nothing happened,” Kurapika interrupted.

“You got sick,” Melody reminded him.

“And I was fine,” Kurapika insisted.

Melody wasn’t buying Kurapika’s argument. She still met his eyes steadily, so Kurapika turned his attention to Leorio, who, up until now, had said very little.

“And what help will Doctor Paladiknight be?” Kurapika demanded.

“Okay, hey, I’m plenty helpful,” Leorio responded. “Though, uh, you did mention the possibility of encountering demons?” He turned to Melody, worry knitting his brow.

Kurapika, naturally, seized the opportunity to be a little shit, though his words had more bite than he usually showed in the guild hall.

“Do you need protecting from the big, bad demons?” he asked, his voice falsely sweet. “Don’t worry, I can protect you, Doctor.” His expression turned hard and his tone changed as he switched his attention back to Melody. “Which is exactly why his presence isn’t necessary.”

“Hey,” Leorio said, prepared to defend himself, but Melody interrupted his rebuttal.

“Kurapika, this order comes directly from Director Cheadle. The area you’ll be investigating is known for demon activity. The phenomenon of lights could be naturally-occurring, but it could also be caused by a demon. The director doesn’t want you out there alone.”

“Then, why him?” Kurapika asked. “Why not another receptionist or a knight?”

“Well, you didn’t seem to get along with Captain Lucilfer when you met him last,” Melody pointed out. “And we’re very busy at the moment.”

Kurapika looked extremely doubtful, and Melody looked guilty. Leorio glanced between them, wondering if he was missing something. Did Melody have an ulterior motive for arranging this excursion?

* * *

Kurapika remained sullenly silent on their way to their destination, which took the better part of an hour on the backs of borrowed domesticated dragons. After leaving the dragons at the small farming village at the foot of the mountains, they trekked into the wilderness.

It wasn’t until Leorio was trailing along behind Kurapika up a dirt path that Leorio felt didn’t earn the name, that Kurapika finally explained their mission in full.

“The villagers have been reporting sightings of strange lights on this particular mountain,” he said. “Two villagers have gone missing since the lights began appearing, but no one is sure if the disappearances are connected. The men had reputations for being… disagreeable, so the general consensus seems to be that they finally got what they deserved.” Kurapika wrinkled his nose cutely.

Leorio wanted to laugh and point out that Kurapika himself was somewhat disagreeable, but since Kurapika was speaking to him in a civil tone, Leorio held his tongue—and his amusement—in. He did allow a smile to break across his face though, since Kurapika had his back to Leorio and wouldn’t see it.

“We’re here to see if we can pin down the lights to a specific location, and keep our eyes peeled for any sign of the missing men,” Kurapika said.

“Any idea what these lights could be?” Leorio asked. “Fire mages fooling around?”

“Out here? Unlikely,” Kurapika said, shooting down Leorio’s guess with unrepentant calm. “The villagers described the lights as coloured, indistinct balls that moved rather like fireflies. They said that the lights had an almost hypnotic effect.”

Leorio scratched his head. “I’ve never heard of anything like that,” he said. “Have you?”

“It sounds like an illusion spell,” Kurapika guessed. “But all of the mages in the village who are capable of casting such a spell are accounted for.”

“So, we really don’t know what it is.” Leorio quickened his pace, excited at the prospect of having a mystery to solve.

How harmful could pretty lights really be?

* * *

The fog came on without warning. Leorio lost sight of Kurapika’s blue-clad back several times and had to call his name in order to track his location. Each time, Kurapika answered with a curt, exasperated, “Over here,” or, “Can’t you keep up?”

Leorio hated to admit it, but losing Kurapika in the fog felt like losing the ground beneath his feet. Until he heard Kurapika’s voice echoing out from the thick air, he couldn’t be sure that he hadn’t wandered into another world.

“Kurapika?” Leorio called, halting as he realised that he’d lost his companion again.

Silence.

Kurapika had always answered immediately since he was often barely more than arm’s reach in front of Leorio, but this time…

“Kurapika?” Leorio repeated, raising his voice.

Still silence. An eerie kind of silence that felt as if it were stuffing Leorio’s ears.

“Hey, Kurapika!” Leorio bellowed, not caring if he sounded belligerent or pissed off. Let Kurapika take offence if he wanted to—as long as he showed himself. If he was messing around, then Leorio was going to give him a piece of his mind.

“Here.”

Kurapika appeared out of the fog. Leorio’s chest lightened with relief. But there was something just a little off about Kurapika’s face. Something off about his posture as well. Leorio couldn’t put his finger on what he found unsettling about Kurapika, but he was sure that something had changed.

“Did you find something?” Leorio asked.

“In this?” Kurapika swept his hand out, indicating the fog blanketing them. “Of course not. I think we should find shelter and wait for it to dissipate.”

Were Kurapika’s eyes glowing ever so faintly?

Leorio shook his head, wondering if the fog was getting to him.

“Yeah,” he said. “That sounds great to me. But where are we going to find shelter in this?”

“There’s a hunters’ cabin just off this path,” Kurapika said. “I found the landmark.”

The landmark Kurapika was referring to was a large rock with a hole through the middle of it that guarded a path even more rugged than the one they were currently on. Leorio was very glad that he’d worn sturdy boots that morning. He was sure that his suit was probably covered in dirt and leaves by now.

That was confirmed when they made it to the little cabin. Kurapika created a few magical lamps as Leorio brushed his clothes off and plopped onto a creaky sofa. The cabin was a small, one-room, wooden building, but it was furnished with everything a weary traveller could want. Except for food, unfortunately.

“Who owns this place?” Leorio inquired. “Are we squatting?”

“Of course not. The hunter who owns it gave me permission to stop here if necessary,” Kurapika said. “He also gave me some information about the surrounding area.”

“Like?” Leorio inquired.

Kurapika sat primly on a chair at the table, his bag placed near Leorio’s feet on the worn boards.

“Like—“

And then Kurapika’s voice descended into what Leorio could only describe as buzzing. His mouth continued to move, as if he were still speaking normally, but all Leorio could hear was the buzzing. It filled his ears rather like the fog had, almost taking physical form.

Leorio rubbed one ear, frowning.

“—most game hunters away at this time of year,” Kurapika finished. “Leorio, are you all right?”

What? Since when did Kurapika call him Leorio?

“I’m fine. Just… tuned out there for a minute,” Leorio admitted. He waited for Kurapika’s mouth to twist, for him to deliver the expected barb. Something like, “I would have been better off coming alone,” or “You aren’t up to this job if you can’t even handle a short walk in the mountains.”

But instead, Kurapika said, “You should sleep. This fog probably isn’t going anywhere for a while.”

Well, that was… nice of him. Leorio wasn’t going to object. Sleep sounded pretty good to him. A hot meal would have been even better, but that was not a possibility. He wished he’d thought to put some snacks in his briefcase, but he’d prioritised medical supplies since he didn’t know what they were up against.

The sofa was surprisingly comfortable. Leorio reclined, feet sticking out over the end. He closed his eyes. Lights danced in the blackness of his eyelids.

_“Doctor Paladiknight? Doctor Paladiknight?”_

Why did Kurapika’s voice sound so far away? And why did he sound so anxious?

Leorio tried to open his eyes, but they remained stubbornly stuck shut like someone had glued them together. That was the sort of prank that some of his classmates in grade school might have found hilarious, but Leorio couldn’t envision the uptight Kurapika doing something like that.

“Leorio?”

Leorio finally managed to peel his eyes open—to be met by a pair of curious grey ones. He yelped in surprise. Kurapika’s pert nose was right in front of Leorio’s.

“Sorry. You looked like you were having a nightmare,” Kurapika explained, straightening.

“Uh, yeah. No, I mean, I wasn’t having a nightmare.” Leorio fumbled his words, visions of Kurapika’s face dancing in his mind. He tried to shake off his disorientation. Couldn’t appear rattled in front of Kurapika, after all. “How long was I asleep?” he asked. “Has the fog gone?”

“No,” Kurapika said, turning to the window to stare outside at the grey cloud of nothing beyond the glass.

“Damn.”

Leorio remained on the sofa, only shifting into a sitting position to make himself more comfortable and relieve aching muscles. He really felt like just closing his eyes and going back to sleep, but would Kurapika make fun of him for that?

And why was he so damned tired anyway? If he didn’t know better, he’d swear that he was suffering the effects of magic overuse—but he hadn’t cast any spells today.

To Leorio’s surprise, Kurapika sat down beside him on the sofa, leaning his head back against the cushion with a sigh. He fiddled with the silver rings on his right hand. Those were new. Up until today, Leorio had only ever seen Kurapika with the ruby earrings and the single gold ring. Thin chains were attached to the rings, snaking beneath Kurapika’s cuff.

“I’m feeling a little tired myself,” Kurapika confessed.

Then he did something that really surprised Leorio. He snuggled into Leorio’s side—actually snuggled. Leorio could scarcely believe his eyes.

Still, Leorio certainly wasn’t about to complain. He was definitely willing to push this… whatever it was… as far as Kurapika would allow. This new, much nicer, and cuddlier version of Kurapika was a welcome change.

Kurapika’s soft wisps of hair tickled Leorio’s cheek. Leorio tentatively ran his fingers through it, while silently praying that Kurapika wouldn’t punch him. He’d probably never get another chance to touch Kurapika’s hair again.

“That feels nice,” Kurapika mumbled.

Okay, something weird was definitely going on here.

“Kurapika, are you feeling okay?” Leorio inquired. He’d thought that Kurapika was well and truly over his earlier illness, but maybe he’d relapsed? The heavy weight of Kurapika’s body on his own made him want to just relax and sleep like Kurapika seemed all too ready to do, but an uneasy feeling was fluttering in Leorio’s stomach—and it wasn’t merely hunger, though he was hungry, too. Just too tired to care much about it.

Kurapika’s health, on the other hand, was a priority.

“I’m fine. Why did you stop?”

Kurapika squirmed in a way that made Leorio feel decidedly uncomfortable. It felt like everything was going just a little too perfectly. How convenient that the fog had driven them into this little cabin. How convenient that Kurapika was acting so much more like a cat starved for affection. Where was the snark Leorio was used to?

Leorio decided to be honest with Kurapika. It wasn’t as if Kurapika could storm out on him. They were alone up here on the mountain. Plenty of time to sort out any misunderstandings.

“You’re acting a little strangely,” Leorio confessed. “Not that I’m complaining or anything but... up until today you haven’t exactly been friendly toward me. What changed?”

“I don’t know. Does it matter?” Kurapika asked.

Since when did Kurapika brush aside a serious question so easily?

“When we leave here, are you going to go back to being a jerk to me?” Leorio inquired.

“What?”

Kurapika shifted into a sitting position on Leorio’s lap, his stare incredulous.

“I don’t understand why you’re asking such stupid questions now. Can’t you just relax and go with it?”

This, from the least relaxed person Leorio had ever met.

“I’m starting to wonder if you’re real or not,” Leorio said, only half-joking.

It took several seconds for Leorio to realise what was happening. Kurapika’s mouth moved against his, awkward due to their positions and the fact that Kurapika had to tilt his face up to reach Leorio. Leorio was too stunned to return the kiss.

“Is that real enough for you?” Kurapika inquired, his mouth still close to Leorio’s. His breath brushed Leorio’s lips.

Real? It was a goddamned dream. Leorio’s pulse had quickened and his mind had gone completely blank.

“I thought you didn’t like me,” he mumbled.

“I think you’re gorgeous,” Kurapika said, before pushing his lips against Leorio’s again.

“I think you’re gorgeous, too, Sunshine,” Leorio confessed when Kurapika broke the kiss.

Kurapika smiled, and Leorio briefly felt dazzled.

“Do you want to…?”

Kurapika’s hand rubbed along Leorio’s leg in a suggestive manner. His meaning was very clear, and Leorio gulped. This odd situation was progressing much too quickly and that sure wasn’t healthy for his heart.

“Another time? Totally. But not right now, Sunshine. I really am tired,” Leorio admitted.

Kurapika pouted, and it was so damned cute that Leorio almost changed his mind. But then Kurapika snuggled back into him and Leorio felt his heart rate begin to slow. He closed his eyes.

“Doctor Paladiknight? You need to wake up. Open your eyes.”

The insistent voice dragged Leorio out of a deep sleep once again. He groaned, feeling decidedly uncomfortable. Had he fallen off the sofa?

Kurapika’s pale face appeared before him, his features pinched in anxiety.

“Come on. You’ve got to get up. I can’t carry you.”

“What?”

Kurapika moved, and Leorio could make out a rocky ceiling above him. Mage light caused Kurapika’s hair to glow like the sun.

Leorio tried to sit up. The pain was a nasty shock and it jolted him out of his foggy state. Kurapika’s slender arm slid behind his shoulders, supporting him. The pressure of it against Leorio’s skin hurt.

“Shit. What happened? Where are we?”

“Somewhere we really should be leaving. Right now,” Kurapika said. The cold tone in his voice left no room for argument.

“What happened to your clothes?” Leorio inquired, having noticed that Kurapika’s tabard was gone. The white trousers and shirt he wore beneath it appeared to be burned in patches.

“I’ll explain later. We need to move. I think there’s more than one of them here and I don’t think I could fend them off if they decide to ambush us.”

“If… what?”

Thoroughly confused, Leorio resisted Kurapika’s effort to get him to his feet. He took stock of himself, realising that his own state was even worse than Kurapika’s. Large portions of fabric from his blazer and trousers had burned off. His shirt was in a better state, but not by much. His exposed skin was red and sore, as if he’d gotten a really bad sunburn.

“Come on!”

Kurapika’s voice filled the cavern, equal parts desperation and anger. As Kurapika pulled on his arm, Leorio realised that Kurapika’s hands were burned.

“Kurapika—“

“Now!” Kurapika snapped.

He looked fit to murder someone, his eyes glowing in the illumination from his ball of magical light, which hovered near his shoulder like a besotted bird.

Leorio obeyed. He staggered along, leaning heavily against Kurapika. Kurapika briefly stopped to retrieve Leorio’s briefcase and the remains of his tabard.

When they emerged from the mouth of the cave, Leorio was greeted with sunlight that hurt his eyes.

Kurapika didn’t give Leorio any time to adjust. He moved quickly down the path, directing nervous glances into the trees that lined it.

“What happened to the fog?” Leorio asked. “When did we leave the cabin?”

“What cabin?”

Kurapika’s response was flat and distracted.

“The cabin where we…?”

Leorio trailed off. Kurapika, who had Leorio’s arm slung over his shoulders, looked up at him, frowning.

“There was no cabin,” he said firmly. “You were probably hallucinating.”

Leorio nearly tripped, only his hold on Kurapika keeping him on his feet. Had it… all been a dream? Kurapika’s strange behaviour? His confession that he thought Leorio was gorgeous? The kisses?

Of course it was. How could it be anything else? Leorio felt incredibly gullible, and resolved not to mention anything more about it to Kurapika. The receptionist would probably murder him for daring to even think of kissing him.

After about twenty minutes of walking, Kurapika finally stopped. He helped Leorio sit down, his back against a stone, the surface of which was warmed by the sun. Kurapika stretched as if his back were causing him some discomfort. At any other time, Leorio would have enjoyed the view, but all he could think about were the blisters forming on Kurapika’s hands.

“We should be all right here, as long as we don’t stay too long.”

Kurapika sat down on the path, Leorio’s briefcase on his lap.

“What do you have in here?” he asked. “Anything for burns?”

“Sure. I’ll have to unlock it for you.”

After Leorio chanted the incantation to remove the magical lock on his briefcase, Kurapika perused the contents with a frown.

“Didn’t you pack medical supplies too? Come to think of it, where’s your bag?” Leorio asked.

“I had to use it to distract one of the demons,” Kurapika said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to escape.”

“Demons?”

As Kurapika tended both his own and Leorio’s burns under Leorio’s guidance, Kurapika explained.

“The fog was an illusion created to separate and disorient us. Once I killed the demon who attacked me, the fog dissipated. I searched for you, but I couldn’t find you. I guessed that you might have been captured, so I tracked one of the demons back to that cave and hid until it left. When I entered the cave, I found you wrapped up in some sort of web. When I tried to pull it off you, it burned my hands. I had to cover them with my tabard to free you.”

“How many demons did you see?” Leorio asked uneasily. He was glad that he had his back to a solid surface. 

“I only saw two. A breeding pair of spider demons, I suspect. They must be setting their nest up here. We can’t be sure that there are only two, however. Other pairs may have set up nests nearby as well. This will certainly be an S-rank job. The village council will be disappointed.”

“Why?” Leorio inquired.

“Because they will have to put together a more substantial reward,” Kurapika said dryly.

Kurapika used the last of the bandages on his own hands, having left them until last. The sun was dangerously low in the sky when Kurapika stood.

“We need to get back to the village before dark,” he said.

Leorio nodded in fervent agreement. Once again, Kurapika helped him to his feet and they resumed their trek along the path.

“Did I, uh, say anything while you were trying to free me?” Leorio asked.

“It was nonsense,” Kurapika responded shortly. “You weren’t making any sense at all.”

Something in Kurapika’s tone awoke dread inside Leorio. Kurapika spoke as if he didn’t believe his own words but badly wanted them to be true.

He’d heard. He’d heard the part where Leorio had called him gorgeous. He must have. Leorio’s cheeks coloured with embarrassment beneath the ointment Kurapika had dabbed on them.

“Um, if anything I said made you feel uncomfortable, I’m sorry,” Leorio said, hoping to soothe any injured feelings Kurapika might have had.

“It’s fine,” Kurapika said, his tone still clipped. “Forget about it.” Leorio could almost hear the addendum of, “I certainly will,” though Kurapika didn’t voice it.

What a frustrating little bastard.

* * *

In light of their injuries, Kurapika decided that returning to the Hunter Guild immediately was best. The dragons had excellent night vision and could fly safely in the dark. Leorio couldn’t say that the ride was a comfortable one, but knowing that his own bed lay at the end of it was heartening.

After leaving the dragons at the Hunter Guild stables, the pair were intercepted by Melody.

Though both he and Kurapika had donned new clothes at the village, Melody noticed immediately that things hadn’t gone smoothly.

“Kurapika, what did you do to your hands? And, Doctor Paladiknight,..” Melody trailed off, horrified.

Kurapika sighed, as if he’d known this was coming all along and dreaded it.

“We’re fine, Melody. Things didn’t go as well as we’d hoped, but as you can see, we’re both fine.”

“Both of you come inside,” Melody urged. “Doctor Paladiknight, you can spend the night here.”

“There’s no need,” Leorio said, smiling painfully as he tried to brush away her suggestion.

But Melody insisted, and both men were hustled into the warmth of the guild building where Melody offered them tea and a meal. Leorio gratefully accepted the meal, having only had the chance to grab some bread and soup at the village before Kurapika had decided that they were wasting time.

Melody left them alone with their food while she went to fetch a doctor. Kurapika gave her back a sour frown as Leorio observed him.

“What have you got against healers, anyway?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Kurapika responded.

Leorio raised his eyebrows. “You sure don’t seem to like us,” he pointed out.

“I never said anything about not liking you,” Kurapika snapped back. He seemed to realise what he’d said seconds later and his face paled. “Not you, you,” he hurried to clarify. “The general ‘you’.”

Leorio couldn’t resist putting Kurapika on the spot. “So, you do like me,” he said.

“Yes, no, I mean—“ Kurapika glared at him before pointing his fork at Leorio. “Eat your food before it gets cold.”

Leorio chuckled, reassured that the familiar Kurapika was back. “Yes, Mom,” he said, obediently stabbing a piece of fish.

Kurapika’s glare hardened into steel fit for the most bloodthirsty of swords. For once, he didn’t seem to know how to respond. They ate in silence for a few minutes before Leorio realised that Kurapika was having a little trouble eating thanks to his bandaged hands. That reminded him that he had yet to thank Kurapika for saving him.

Kurapika succeeded in spearing a piece of potato after adjusting his grip on the fork.

“Uh, thanks for what you did back there,” Leorio said. “Coming back for me and everything. Guess I caused you a lot of bother.”

Kurapika swallowed his mouthful before responding. His face softened as he said, “I wouldn’t have left you behind.”

* * *

Melody returned while Kurapika was still halfway through his meal. Leorio had already polished his off and was keeping himself occupied by watching the way Kurapika’s hair shone in the light and the intense look in his eyes as he concentrated on his meal. Leorio did his best to not look obvious about it, though Kurapika was so absorbed in his meal that he barely spared Leorio a glance.

“The doctor will be here soon,” Melody informed them. “I wanted to talk to you both before he comes, though.” She looked quite serious, serious enough that Kurapika set down his fork to regard her with a frown.

Melody clasped her hands in front of her.

“It is partially my fault that both of you are injured,” she admitted.

“But you weren’t even there!” Leorio protested loudly.

“I should have arranged for a knight to go with you, or an experienced sorcerer,” Melody admitted.

“But I work alone,” Kurapika muttered. He was ignored by both Melody and Leorio.

“Is this just hindsight?” Leorio inquired. “It can’t be your fault if you didn’t know what we’d be up against. I’m sure you made the best decision you could.”

“No,” Melody said. “I admit that I let somewhat selfish concerns guide my actions.”

“Selfish concerns?” Kurapika asked, blond eyebrows raised.

“Yes.” Melody looked down. “I wanted both of you to go alone. I thought that if you spent some time together...”

“Oh, I see. You were matchmaking,” Leorio realised. He wanted to laugh. He hadn’t realised that he had such support from Kurapika’s colleagues.

But Kurapika didn’t take the revelation quite so well. His face cycled through several different emotions, eventually settling on hurt bewilderment. He looked between Melody and Leorio, as if he had no idea how to respond.

“I am sorry,” Melody said quietly. “Especially since I feel that I may have overstepped. I just want to see you happy, Kurapika.”

“Why would you think that I’m unhappy?” Kurapika asked, his own voice just as quiet and subdued as Melody’s.

“It’s rather obvious to all of us,” Melody said gently. “You seem to feel as if you need to protect yourself from others, and it shows. I consider you a dear friend, but others find you very difficult to know.”

Kurapika looked down at the remains of his meal, pale and silent.

“I’ll leave you to finish your meal,” Melody said before leaving the room.

Leorio sat awkwardly, unsure of what to say. He had a feeling that there was a lot of truth in what Melody had said, but was it really his place to discuss it with Kurapika? They were barely friends. What if Kurapika decided to double down and refuse to consider Melody’s words? No doubt he’d lash out at the nearest convenient target—which happened to be Leorio right now.

“Do you find me hard to be around as well?” Kurapika asked quietly.

“Not at all,” Leorio said honestly. “You can be a little cruel at times,” he admitted, “but it’s not like I can’t handle it.”

“Did you mean what you said back in the cave?”

Leorio’s brow creased. “What did I say back in the cave?” he asked.

“That I was...” Kurapika swallowed nervously. “Gorgeous,” he finished. “Or something like that, anyway.” He avoided Leorio’s eyes.

“Shit. You really did hear that.” Leorio let out an embarrassed laugh. “Well, yeah, I did mean it.”

“Even after all the times I was rude to you?” Kurapika asked, as if he didn’t believe Leorio.

“Yeah, though, honestly, I thought you didn’t like me,” Leorio said.

“I, uh, I...” Kurapika stuttered, looking completely lost.

Leorio felt very sorry for him. It had been a long, stressful, confusing day, and Kurapika looked like his world had turned upside-down.

“Why don’t you just finish your food?” Leorio suggested, in an echo of Kurapika’s earlier order to him.

“No, I, uh…” Kurapika met Leorio’s eyes determinedly. “I, uh, don’t want you to think that I don’t like you. I do,” he admitted.

Leorio grinned. “Knew I’d wear you down eventually,” he said. “You just can’t resist my roguish charm, huh?”

Kurapika glared at him. “Don’t get full of yourself. It’s not a big deal,” he snapped, before stabbing a piece of potato with a little more force than necessary.

Leorio couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot. He’d finally made some progress with the prickly receptionist. Maybe ‘like’ could turn into something more like ‘love’ one day.

* * *

Having another set of eyes look over his report before he turned it in wasn’t strictly necessary—Kurapika was confident that he’d covered everything—but it was a good excuse to break the ice with Melody.

“Of course. Just leave it here.”

Melody’s smile was as kind as it usually was. Kurapika briefly reconsidered his plan. If Melody wanted to act like yesterday hadn’t happened, then should he bring it up?

Don’t be a coward, Kurapika told himself.

The guild hall wasn’t yet open to the public so Kurapika knew he had a few minutes of peace—and a handy excuse to flee, should he require an escape route. It was unfortunate that the other receptionists were within hearing distance, should they bother to pay attention, but Kurapika hoped that they were polite enough to mind their own business.

“About yesterday,” Kurapika began uncomfortably.

“I’m sure Doctor Paladiknight doesn’t blame you for what happened,” Melody said. “You handled a bad situation well, Kurapika. Both of you returned safely. You have nothing to feel guilty about.”

Kurapika privately felt plenty guilty. He’d been caught off-guard. He’d let his unease with Doctor Paladiknight’s company cloud his judgement. He could have done a lot of things that might have mitigated the risk, like using his chains to keep track of Doctor Paladiknight in the fog. If they had been connected, then the demons wouldn’t have been able to separate them. He could have given Doctor Paladiknight his ring, which would have allowed him to track Doctor Paladiknight easily.

“That’s not what I wanted to talk about,” Kurapika said stiffly. He scratched at the bandages on his right hand. The doctor had informed him that his hands ought to be fully healed that night and Kurapika could take the bandages off before bed. Kurapika was very much looking forward to it. The itching was driving him crazy. The doctor had been very unsympathetic, telling Kurapika that he'd just have to put up with it if he wanted unscarred hands. Doctor Paladiknight had backed up his fellow healer, causing Kurapika to feel as if he were being ambushed. He'd had no choice but to reluctantly accept the advice.

Melody waited patiently for Kurapika to continue, her expression politely inviting. Kurapika’s stomach twisted into a tight knot.

“I just wanted to tell you that I consider you a friend, too,” Kurapika said, too embarrassed to meet Melody’s eyes.

“Thank you, Kurapika.” The tension and worry drained out of Melody’s face. For just a moment, Kurapika thought he could see a trace of the beautiful girl rumour had it that she once was.

She continued on in a voice that soothed Kurapika’s raw nerves. “Please let us know if you need to take a break today. Don’t push yourself.”

“Yes,” Kurapika agreed, though he didn’t really mean it. From the skeptical tilt of Melody’s lips, Kurapika knew that she could tell that he was lying. Kurapika had no intention of allowing himself to surrender to weakness.

Kurapika returned to his desk and began to put his papers in order as he considered which of his regular sorcerers were likely to make an appearance that day. Doctor Paladiknight wouldn’t be one of them. The doctor would be taking the day easy, as per the recommendation of the sorcerer who had treated their burns.

Kurapika glanced across the room at the board on the wall, which was covered from corner to corner with job requests, some of which stuck out over the board’s frame. It was going to be a busy day.


End file.
